# Retaliatory tariffs **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 24, 2025, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322 "2025-01-24T04:48:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 32
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/621 "2025-04-10T16:32:39Z")
Let’s go breakers! We’re almost there. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/622 "2025-04-10T16:37:29Z")
“Trump Says China Tariff Is at Least 145%” – _New York Times_. This is on _all_ Chinese imports to the US. Doesn’t an astronomical tariff like this effectively shut down trade with our second-largest source of imported goods? ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/623 "2025-04-10T16:48:01Z")
Yes, I think that is exactly what he wants. He genuinely believes that trade is bad in itself, and particularly when it causes a “deficit”, that is, when you pay money to get the things you want / you need. This is bonkers, of course, and all economists (except the imaginary Mr. Ron Vara) have told him so, but he knows more than all the experts in the world. So he does what he has always said. Increase tariffs. The more the better. The most beautiful word in the dictionary. This and raping women is the only coherent thing he has done all his life. Coherent in the sense that he does what he said he will do. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/624 "2025-04-10T16:49:57Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I see MAGA cultists proclaiming how amazing it was that the market was up X% yesterday, like it wasn’t just springing back after Trump’s policies were reduced. Like bragging about how much you’ve climbed when you get back on your knees after someone removed their boot from your neck. The very apt analogy I saw was: Trump [slams dick in car door] Global Markets [tank] Trump [opens car door] MAGA [Masterful gambit, sir!] ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/625 "2025-04-10T16:50:49Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Alternet reports that even Gasparino at Fox noted that his sources told him that I’ve not seen that repeated anywhere else, and there is a Reuters article that the Japanese Finance Minister told the Diet yesterday that the Japanese government is not planning to sell US T-bills. [https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/japan-rules-out-using-us-treasury-holdings-counter-trump-tariffs-2025-04-09/](https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/japan-rules-out-using-us-treasury-holdings-counter-trump-tariffs-2025-04-09/) ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/626 "2025-04-10T16:51:00Z")
Trump just asked the Supreme Court to let him fire Jerome Powell, the last adult in the room ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/627 "2025-04-10T17:15:19Z")
Well, Gasparino the friendly economics ghost, should explain more, but that Being FOX, I think the will just had that Japan angle fade away.. Now in other reports I have seen that bonds were an issue, so it was not just Japan, [https://www.thestreet.com/investing/did-treasury-bond-markets-cause-trump-tariff-blink](https://www.thestreet.com/investing/did-treasury-bond-markets-cause-trump-tariff-blink) > **[Trump caves on tariffs: One economic indicator made even Trump realize he'd...](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-caves-on-tariffs-one-economic-indicator-made-even-trump-realize-he-d-gone-too-far-237004869600)** > > Even with new polling showing significant disapproval among Americans of Donald Trump's handling of the economy, Trump's indifference to tanking the stock market did not waver. But when his ill-considered tariff scheme began to affect the bond... ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/628 "2025-04-10T17:26:59Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I see MAGA cultists proclaiming how amazing it was that the market was up X% yesterday, like it wasn’t just springing back after Trump’s policies were reduced. Like bragging about how much you’ve climbed when you get back on your knees after someone removed their boot from your neck. The Dow still closed over 4,000 points below less than 2 months ago. Not looking good today. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/629 "2025-04-10T17:46:19Z")
Did Fox News bring back the ticker yesterday? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/630 "2025-04-10T18:15:46Z")
Well, China is holding over 750 billion in Treasury bonds and Xi isn’t facing midterm elections next year ( or any year). Mr. Trump, in your own words, I don’t think you have the cards. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/631 "2025-04-10T18:32:58Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > Doesn’t an astronomical tariff like this effectively shut down trade with our second-largest source of imported goods? American labor is 10x more expensive than Chinese. A 900% tariff is what you need to get customers to buy American. And that’s assuming that Americans made the sorts of products that China does. As we don’t, we would still need to buy from China, until we found an alternate vendor (which would probably also not be American). ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/632 "2025-04-10T18:53:34Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > Mr. Trump, in your own words, I don’t think you have the cards. Yes, its tough to bluff your hand in Texas Holdem when they not only have just as deep of pockets as you do, they also have their hand in your pocket and you can do nothing about it. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/633 "2025-04-10T19:56:33Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Yes, its tough to bluff your hand in Texas Holdem when they not only have just as deep of pockets as you do, they also have their hand in your pocket and you can do nothing about it. And it’s WAY easier to impose short term hardships on your citizenry when you don’t have to worry about electoral consequences. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/634 "2025-04-10T20:57:08Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Minister told the Diet yesterday that the Japanese government is not planning to sell US T-bills. Never believe something until it has been officially denied. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/635 "2025-04-10T21:33:14Z")
Just for historical context from the German perspective, the phrase to bear in mind is “Niemand hat die Absicht, eine Mauer zu errichten”, that is, _nobody has the intention to build a wall_. It was declared by Walter Ulbricht (the head of state in the GDR at the time, officially I believe President of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the German Democratic Republic) in a press conference on the 15th of june 1961. The wall was built on 13th of august the same year, not even two months later. Some revisionists still argue that he did not lie, as the did not yet have green light from Moscow for the building of the wall. But he had obviously thought of it and had made plans in his head. Intention? Pfft! If Japan sells those US T-Bills in two months time they sure will have an excuse just as good if not better. And someone I know will whinge it is so unfair! There is a video (1 minute 37 seconds) of that press conference: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Yz9DNSTrHBY/maxresdefault.jpg "Historische Fakes: "Niemand hat die Absicht, eine Mauer zu errichten"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz9DNSTrHBY) In Germany it is famous now, but if went totally unnoticed when it happened. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/636 "2025-04-10T21:36:22Z")
ETA, the German Title “Historische Fakes” is most unfortunate, really bad _fake_ (pun intended) German. The word fake does not mean the video is fake, but what Ulbricht said was a lie. I have a professional cringe feeling. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/637 "2025-04-11T00:59:04Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > Doesn’t an astronomical tariff like this effectively shut down trade with our second-largest source of imported goods? I’ve been seeing multiple interviews on TV news shows of small business owners who are staring ruin in the face because of what the tariffs are doing/will do to their supply chains. And no, they can’t just turn to American manufacturing to substitute, for all the reasons we’ve already seen stated in this and other threads on the Dope and elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/638 "2025-04-11T03:08:04Z")
Canadian federal govt is paying for billboard adverts in red states: “Tariffs are a tax on your fuel bill”. [https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7496882](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7496882) ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/639 "2025-04-11T03:08:58Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Canadian federal govt is paying for billboard adverts in red states: “Tariffs are a tax on your fuel bill”. > > [Canada's anti-tariff billboards in the U.S. go viral — but is anyone swayed?](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7496882) I have seen them on the highways near Pittsburgh. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/640 "2025-04-12T18:22:53Z")
As linked elsewhere, there’s now a tariff exemption for smartphones and computers. > **[Smartphones and computers are now exempt from Trump’s latest tariffs | CNN...](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/12/tech/trump-electronics-china-tariffs/index.html)** > > Electronics imported to the United States will be exempt from President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, according to a US Customs and Border Protection notice posted on Friday. Two thoughts: 1. Forget the stock ticker, we need a tariff update chyron, with Trump’s stupid face next to it. This is changing by the hour. 2. I wonder how I’d play this, if I were Xi… Because my thought would be: America is trying to hoard certain items prior to putting in blanket tariffs (for realsies this time), and therefore he should restrict number of sales of certain items? But of course, these tariffs are going to cause pain _everywhere_, so Xi could simply grab some popcorn and watch the Trump admin clown around with further exemptions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322.md?page=33)